Clothes washing apparatus



NOV. 10, 1959 5 STAFF 2,911,813

CLOTHES WASHING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 3, 1954 Joseph E. .Stapf INVENTOR.

BY WWW %q in h,

CLOTHES WASHING APPARATUS Joseph E. Stapf, Hamilton, Ohio Application December 3, 1954, Serial No. 472,939

Claims. (Cl. 6820) The present invention relates to washers.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a small sized washer for washing lingerie, hose and the like, which articles generally cannot withstand heavy agitation, exceedingly hot waters and the like, and which consequently must generally be washed by hand separately from other articles.

In accordance with the primary object, it is a further object of the invention to produce a washing machine for lingerie and similar articles of clothing which will gently force soap and liquid through the articles in the washing cycle by providing a continuously flowing washing liquid, the liquid serving to rinse the articles and remove the soap therefrom after washing the same.

A further object of the invention is in the provision of a washing machine for lingerie and the like including a supporting rack within the machine {for supporting the lingerie in a washing position wherein the articles will be immersed in the flowing washing liquid and in a drying position where the articles will be disposed above the liquid level of the machine whereby the heat from the liquid may be utilized to help dry the articles while still within the machine.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the washing machine constituting the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the washing and drying supporting rack adapted to be disposed within the machine;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view through the machine taken substantially along the plane of section line 33 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal, vertical cross-sectional view through the machine taken substantially along the plane of section line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view through the machine taken substantially along the same plane as Figure 3 disclosing the supporting rack in its drying position;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view in enlarged detail of a portion of the suspension assembly of the mounting rack taken substantially along the plane of section line 6-6 of Figure 4; and

Figure 7 is an exploded View of the means whereby the lid or door opening into the tub for loading and unloading the same is sealed in position.

In the drawings, the washing machine constituting the invention is designated in its entirety by the numeral 10 and is seen to comprise an elongated substantially cylindrical tank 12 having front and back ends 14 and 16 being mounted on a suitable supporting base 29.

The forward end 14 of the tank is provided with a liquid inlet port 22 for introducing liquid into the tank United States Paten 2 ice through the medium of a suitable flexible hose or the like 24 which maybe attached to any conventional liquid outlet, such as a hot and cold water tap or faucet.

The back end 16 of the tank adjacent the bottom thereof is provided with a drain opening 26 closed by a suitable valve 28. Above the drain opening 26, the back end 16 of the tank 12 is provided with a liquid overflow port 30 which opens into a suitable overflow conduit 32 for carrying off excess liquid.

Disposed within the tank 12 is a clothes supporting rack 34.

To gain access to the interior of the tank to load and unload the clothes supporting rack, the top of the tank is provided with an enlarged opening 36 normally closed by the lid or door 38, one edge of which is hinged as at 44 to the top of the tank 12. Sealing gasket 42 running around the edge of the lid on the undersurface thereof and received in a suitable grooved edge surrounding the opening 36 in the tank 12 seals the lid in place.

In order to assure the sealing relation of the gasket to the top of the tank 12, mounted on the top of the tank adjacent the edge of the lid 38 opposite the hinged connection 40, there is provided an upstanding threaded rod 44 upon which is disposed a-U-shaped member 46 having a bight portion 48 and legs 50 and 52 respectively which extend downwardly therefrom. The bight portion 48 is provided with an eye 54 which slips loosely over the stud 44. The longer leg 50 ordinarily rests against the top of the tank 12 whereas the shorter leg 52 rests against the top of the lid 38 to press the sealing gasket 42 in place.

In order to apply pressure to the lid 38 to press the gasket 42 into sealing relation, a suitable'wing nut 56 is threaded onto the upper end of the stud 44 and engages the bight portion 48 of the U-shaped clamp 46. To release the lid for opening, it is only necessary to loosen the wing nut 56 and then spin the clamp 46 out of en gagement with the lid 33.

To support the rack 34 within the tank 12, a supporting structure is provided consisting of elongated rod members or standards 58, each standard 58 having secured intermediate the ends thereof a pair of diverging brace members 60. The lower ends of the brace members 60 are provided with eyes 62 through which extend suitable fasteners 64 pivotally attaching them to the side edges of the rack 34. The lower ends of these standards. 58 when the standards are pivoted to a position perpendicular to the rack 34 rest upon the transverse end members. 66 of the rack 34. As will be noted from Figure 2, the rack 34 in essence constitutes a rectangular wire frame wherein the transverse end members 66 are joined to one another by elongated side frame members 68 and spaced longitudinally extending rod members 70.

By virtue of the pivoted relation of the braces 69 to the rack 34, the standards 58 may be collapsed to a position parallel to the rack 34, as shown in Figure 2.

When the rack 34 is disposed within the tank 12, however, the standards 58 extend perpendicularly upwardly therefrom through apertures 72 in the top of the tank 12.

Resilient rubber or rubber-like bushings 74 are received in the apertures 72 and constitute sleeves through which the standards 58 extend to project exteriorly of the tank 12. These bushings 74 frictionally engage the standards 58 to retain the rack'in any selected position between the top and bottom of the tank within the limits of movement permitted.

In order to limit the downward movement of the standards through the sleeves or bushings 74, each of the standards is provided with a transverse aperture therethrough, as at 76, for receiving cotter pin 78.

The terminal ends of the standards 58 are threaded as at 80, and receive suitable knobs 82 to facilitate pulling the rack upwardly and pushing the same downwardly within the tank from a position exteriorly of the tank.

Washer 84 slidably received on the upper end of each standard 58 seats against the top of the associated bushing 74 and is engaged by the cotter pin 78 when the rack is in its lowermost position within the tank.

As will be noted from Figure 4, the lowermost position of the rack 34 is between the drain outlet 26 and the liquid overflow port 30 so that the rack will be immersed in the fluid within the tank, and consequently the articles placed on the rack, which may be held thereon by suitable tape or strap or the like, are likewise immersed.

The top of the tank 12, adjacent the inlet end 14 thereof, is provided with a soap port 86 normally closed by a suitable flap 88, upon the opening of which, soap may be deposited into the interior of the tank.

In the operation of the machine, hot water is fed through the conduit 24 through the inlet port 22 into the interior of the tank 12, filling the tank to the level of the overflow port 30 on the outlet end 16 of the tank and mixing soap with the liquid as the soap is deposited through the soap port 86 into the machine.

The overflow port 30 maintains the liquid at a constant liquid level while permitting continual flow of the liquid through the tank, whereby the liquid and the soap mixed therewith will force its way through the lingerie or hose deposited on the rack to thoroughly clean the same.

As the liquid is continually passed through the tank, the soap initially placed within the tank is rinsed from the fabric and only clear liquid remains.

When this stage is reached, the washing cycle is completed.

Then, the rack 34 may be raised to a drying position, as shown in Figure 5, and the drain cock 28 opened to drain the liquid from the tank. The drying cycle has now begun.

To continue the drying of the clothing within the tank on the rack 34 when the rack is raised, liquid is continually coursed through the tank and out the drain port 26 through the drain cock 28 so that the heat generated in the tank by the hot liquid passing therethrough may be utilized to dry the clothing.

When the drying cycle is completed, the lid 38 is opened and the clothes removed from the machine.

Thus, there is provided a small sized, highly eflicient washing machine for washing lingerie or the like wherein the operator need not perform any further functions than to load and unload the clothes, open and close the drain cock 28 and raise and lower the rack 34.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A washer for lingerie and the like comprising an elongated tank having a top wall, said tank having a liquid inlet port opening into one end thereof and liquid overflow and drain ports respectively opening into the opposite end thereof, a supporting rack for articles to be Washed disposed within said tank, means suspending said rack within said tank for movement and for retaining said rack between washing and drying positions be low and above said overflow port, said suspending means including supporting elements attached to said rack, said elements having portions thereof projecting exteriorly from said tank through apertures in the top wall of said 4 tank, and means on the exterior projecting portions limiting downward movement of the rack within the tank.

2. A washer for lingerie and the like comprising an elongated tank having a top wall, said tank having a liquid inlet port opening into one end thereof and liquid overflow and drain ports respectively opening into the opposite end thereof, a supporting rack for articles to be Washed disposed within said tank, means suspending said rack within said tank for movement between washing and drying positions below and above said overflow port, said suspending means comprising supporting elements attached to said rack, said tank having suspension apertures in the top wall thereof through which said supporting elements extend, said supporting elements terminating exteriorly of said tank, and resilient bushings in said suspension apertures frictionally engaging said supporting elements and releasably holding said rack in selected positions.

3. A washer for lingerie and the like comprising an elongated tank having a top wall, said tank having a liquid inlet port opening into one end thereof and liquid overflow and drain ports respectively opening into the opposite end thereof, a supporting rack for articles to be washed disposed within said tank, means suspending said rack within said tank for movement between washing and drying positions below and above said overflow port, said suspending means comprising supporting elements attached to said rack, said tank having suspension apertures in the top Wall thereof through which said supporting elements extend, said supporting elements terminating exteriorly of said tank, resilient bushings in said suspension apertures frictionally engaging said supporting elements to releasably hold said rack in a selected position. said tank having an opening therein for loading and unloading the rack and a door normally closing the same, and said tank having a soap opening adjacent said inlet port.

4. A washer comprising an elongated tank having a top wall, liquid inlet port opening into one end of said tank and a liquid overflow and a drain port opening into an end of said tank, a supporting rack for articles to be washed disposed within said tank, and means extending through said top wall of said tank for retaining said rack in selected positions within said tank.

5. A washer comprising an elongated tank having a top wall, a base to support said tank, said top wall having apertures therein, a rack disposed in said tank and including supporting elements extending through said apertures in said top wall of said tank, resilient means in said apertures and contacting said supporting elements to frictionally hold said supporting elements and the rack connected therewith in selected positions within said tank, means for introducing liquid into said tank at one end thereof, and means at the opposite end of said tank for draining liquid therefrom so that washing of the articles on said rack is accomplished by the passage of liquid through said tank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 153,410 Whitnum July 21, 1874 655,717 Koppelmann Aug. 14, 1900 964,106 Hough July 12, 1910 1,664,921 Goldman Apr. 3, 1928 1,724,234 Thomas Aug. 13, 1929 1,815,631 Olson July 21, 1931 2,061,089 Rheinstrom Nov. 17, 1936 2,170,718 Humphries Aug. 22, 1939 2,233,968 White Mar. 4, 1941 2,341,729 Lundgren-Ionson Feb. 15, 1944 2,674,113. Schrenk Apr. 6, 1954 2,760,365 Norton Aug. 28, 1956 

